Island hopping around the Caribbean is definitely one of the best kinds of vacations one can come up with. Lucky me! Not too long ago I had the opportunity to go around the Caribbean and explore many of its stunning islands. One of the places I especially wanted to visit was Anguilla.
The island is known for its white-sandy beaches and sparkling blue waters. However, this is true for most places in the Caribbean. What makes Anguilla stand out is a long list of adventures that a traveler can anticipate to do here. For me, it was important to check out all of the attractions that Anguilla had to offer. Therefore, I planned my itinerary accordingly.
Getting there with a ferry
I reached St. Martin from New York and was looking for some reliable and inexpensive way to get to Anguilla. The locals I encountered referred me to a ferry from Princess Juliana Airport (dock nearby the airport) directly to Anguilla. The boat ride to Anguilla took around 30 minutes to get there. I had already booked my rental car online to explore Anguilla by myself. There are a plethora of car rental services available if you dive into Google. I found Thrifty Car Rental service to be one of the cheapest and it had good reviews.
Day 1: Relaxation Was Everything I was Craving For Now
From the ferry dock, it took me 15 minutes to reach the Paradise Cove Resort, and trust me, it is heaven on Earth. I checked-in and jumped on my bed. It was like WOW. All my exhaustion drained out and I had a long sleep for 2 hours on a cozy bed. Afterwards, I was ready to roam around the hotel and explore its surroundings.
My room was beach facing and I could capture picturesque views from it. On the very first day of my first solo trip, I decided to have a fancy dinner. The resort food was ok but was not up to my expectations. They can definitely improve on food taste and offer more variants.
After having my dinner, I went on a walk and enjoyed the cool breeze on the beach. The sunset was truly beautiful!
Day 2: It’s Time To Hook Up With Adventure
On the 2nd day, I was relaxed and was truly ready to begin my adventurous trip. I decided to enjoy water activities and do beach hoping. I started with Meads Bay and Byron Bay, which are close to each other. The locations were 5 minutes from the resort and I decided to do snorkeling here. Underwater views were great and I enjoyed meeting many new sea friends! In fact, snorkeling is a must do activity which you should plan when you’re in Anguilla. Water was warm and clear, I could spot thousands of fish, many turtles and lots of other creatures I had no idea what to call!
Later, I picked my car and went to Shoal Bay Beach via Valley road which was a 35 minutes drive. Once I got there, I was able to get a burger from the food van for my lunch. The food was yummy! I also ordered a beer, relaxed, and enjoyed sunbathing, which I was craving for many months due to my everyday busy schedule back in the real world.
Very quickly, it was time to go back to the hotel. It was a little time left before dinner so I decided to take on another adventure – horse riding. For this, I visited seaside stables near Paradise Drive Cove Bay, West End. Although the ride was enjoyable, it was on the shore only, whereas on St. Lucia, which I visited previously the horses would go into the water, which was lots of fun.
Afterwards, I went back to the hotel, changed, and got dinner. This time the dessert was amazing – it was a chocolate caramel cake with a scoop of ice cream. This was yummy and it compensated for my not-so-great dinner the night before.
Day 3: Exploring and shopping
I was done with the beaches and it was time to dive into local markets and malls. I purchased loads for myself, friends, and my family.
After all the shopping and interaction with the locals I came to learn about the Heritage Collection Museum. I decided to visit the museum, which turns out is the only one in Anguilla. This is the place to visit to find out about the island’s fascinating history! It is also known for geology from the time of the Arawaks to the 1969 Anguillan revolution. Moreover, it showcases the British invasion and Queen Elizabeth II’s royal visit. The museum was super fun, but I was getting tired and was craving a chilled beer. I purchased one, sat at the shore of Sandy Ground beach and enjoyed the stunning views around.
While this was the last day of my trip and I wanted to make it a memorable one. Hence, I decided to go out enjoy the nightlife. From Sandy ground beach I went to the Johnnos Beach Stop and the Pumphouse. I had lots of fun listening to live music, watching fire acts, and getting to know the locals, which are very friendly!
Day 4: Bye Anguilla
Like for any of us, saying goodbye to vacation was difficult for me. I never want to say goodbye to amazing places! After having breakfast, I reached Blowing Point, Anguilla, to go back to St. Martin. I handed over my rental car and bid adieu to Anguilla.
I like this island and would love to visit it again sometime. Welcoming & helpful people is one of the major features of this place. I also recommend to go between February and April. The temperature is moderate and you don’t have to worry about hurricanes ruining your visit.